


Le Visage du Bonheur

by loveinanotherdimension



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bittersweet, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Nostalgia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 16:24:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3177083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveinanotherdimension/pseuds/loveinanotherdimension
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Eren's relationship with Mikasa ends, he takes some time to feel sorry for himself by drinking hot too-expensive coffee at a café. Who knew that his old flame, Professor Levi, would be there?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Le Visage du Bonheur

Eren stirs the black coffee in his cup, watching the folds of steaming liquid fall into each other and converge in one spiral.

He thinks about how his relationship with Mikasa was doomed from the start. How, even before he started to have feelings for her, he knew that she was attracted to Annie, and not him. How, even after they’d gotten together because Eren had blurted his feelings out and asked Mikasa to go out with him, she treated him like a brother.

How, even as he held onto that hope, she told him gently that she’d much rather hang out with Annie than with him, and he accepted it.

Annie and Mikasa had started going out a few weeks after they’d broken up.

Eren sighs and ponders over his past relationships, all of which had ended in disasters. Sure, he was still friends with all of them, had managed to pick his heart up every single time, except…

Eren pushes thoughts of that one person far back into his mind, refusing to even think about it. It’s been years, after all, years after he left that school and left that person forever. He had thought that they’d make it, but one thing led to another, and before he’d known it, his heart was on the floor, smashed beyond recognition.

He picks up his warm cup and takes a long sip, wincing when the bitterness of black coffee hit his tongue. He was never a fan of black coffee, but it was his routine to get one, as black as he could, as expensive as he could, every single time a relationship of his failed.

“Levi?” he hears the barista call out, and he jolts in his seat. “Levi? Arabian blend, black, for Levi?”

Eren’s heart pounded in his chest when he sees Levi – Professor Levi – walk up to receive his cardboard cup of coffee with a wet wipe wrapped around his hand. He watches as the professor says a quick _thanks_ before leaving, and Eren doesn’t realise that he’s half out of his own seat until the bells on the front door of the café sounds Levi’s departure.

Eren groans and drags a hand down his face. The one person he’d tried so hard to forget all these years, the one person he couldn’t escort out of his dreams, and he’d let him get away. He sinks back down into his seat and feels sorry for himself.

And he thinks, he recalls.

Recalls when he first realised he’d fallen head-over-heels for the unattainable, untouchable Professor Levi.

* * *

“Jaeger.” Levi said, staring down at the sleeping teenager drooling all over his desk. His filthy, disgusting desk. “ _Jaeger_ .”

Eren mumbled in his sleep and turned his head the other way, too far in his dreamland to hear the threatening words coming from his teacher.

A loud rap sounded, and Eren startled awake. Professor Levi held onto his wooden rod, staring down its length as he pointed it at Eren’s face.

“Detention.” Levi ground out, eyes boring holes into Eren’s skull. “ _Today_. After school. Don’t be late.”

“But—” Eren groaned when Levi turned around, continuing the lesson as if nothing had happened. Eren wiped his mouth and chin before berating himself for falling asleep in yet another one of Professor Levi’s classes.

“It isn’t my fault,” Eren muttered to himself as the lesson drawled on. “I’m just so tired.”

“Jaeger,” Levi droned out, and Eren sat up straight in his seat. “Talk again and I’m doubling the amount of time you spend in the detention room.”

“Sorry, sir,” Eren said, and went back to staring at the whiteboard and thinking about anything other than French.

At detention two hours later, Eren couldn’t help but notice that he was the only one in the room. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the one nearest to Levi’s desk, and waited for the professor to come in.

“You were the only delinquent any teacher had to put away today, I guess,” Levi said when he finally came in, two minutes before the start of detention. “Count yourself lucky, Jaeger. If you’re completely silent and are able to stay awake the entire way, I might let you do two hours instead of three.”

Eren perked up. “I can do that, sir!” He said, smiling at the stone-faced professor.

“Shut up and do you work, brat.” Levi replied, pulling out a copy of Hamlet and reading it with one hand as he sat in his chair.

“Yes, sir,” Eren said, and took out his Mathematics homework. He puzzled over the same question for ages before sighing in defeat. He abandoned the entire worksheet altogether and reached for his Biology homework before he stopped in his tracks.

In front of him, Professor Levi had placed his glasses on top of his head, shifting his bangs away and exposing his youthful face. He was deep into the book, eyes scanning the page quickly before his thumb flicked it. His free hand was tapping on the table, a slow but steady rhythm that seemed to match Eren’s own heartbeat. Levi didn’t notice as Eren continued to stare at him, and Eren got more and more flustered with each move Levi made.

“You have five minutes left in your detention,” Levi said later on, putting his book down and his glasses back on. He mussed his hair and turned his attention to Eren, who had started his Biology homework right as Levi said that. He frowned, noticing how little Eren had gotten done in the almost-two-hours.

“You’re not a fast worker, are you?” Levi asked, watching as Eren stared hard at his first question. “If you need help, Professor Hange would be _glad_ to give you some assistance.”

“I’m doing okay in Biology, professor,” Eren lied, his left hand clutching at the hem of his shirt underneath his table. “It’s—It’s French I need help in.”

“Oh?” Levi said, eyebrows raised. “Maybe if you’d stayed awake in my class, you’d be alright in French too.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren replied, and Levi went back to his chair. Before he could pick up his book, however, Eren tried again. “May I consult you? During breaks?”

“Vous pouvez,” Levi said after a pause, and Eren brightened. “Come on Tuesdays and Fridays. I’ll meet you at the tables outside the staff’s office. Eat before you come, I don’t want you spilling crumbs and dirtying the tables.”

“Thank you, sir.” Eren said, “I’ll be there.”

“You better,” Levi mumbled, and looked at his watch. “You may leave now. Don’t forget to finish your homework when you get home.”

“Thank you, professor!” Eren said as he bolted out the door, heart pounding twice as fast as he realised that he was going to have alone time with the professor twice a week.

He rounded a corner and sped towards his bicycle, crashing into it and holding onto its slim metal frame for dear life as he recovered from the pain in his knees.

“Oh, _shit_.”

* * *

“Now, recite the passage for me,” Levi said, leaning back in his chair as he watched Eren struggle to pronounce the words.

Eren tried his best, trying to remember the nuances and dips of Levi’s reading just two minutes ago. When he was done, he looked to Levi for feedback, and sighed when Levi rubbed his temples.

“Let’s try simple poems, then. To get your tongue away from your normal accent and towards a French one,” Levi said. “Here, read _Le cancre_.”

When Eren finished his third reading of that poem, he pushed it away and shook his head. “No. Not anymore. Please. Break’s ending and I’m hungry and—”

“I told you to eat before you came,” Levi interrupted, furrowing his brows. “Were you that eager to improve your French? I’m impressed, Jaeger.”

“I—” Eren started, then shut his mouth when he realised what Levi had just said. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re saying no to the teacher,” Levi mumbled, “Just like in the poem.”

“I’m sorry, sir?” Eren said. “What did you say?”

“Go back to class, Jaeger.” Levi said, standing up. “You have two minutes to pack your things and get out of my face.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren said, and quickly put away his notes and pencil case before leaving, cursing under his breath as he felt the hunger pinch away at his stomach.

“Jaeger,” he heard a minute later, and pirouetted around on his foot to see who had called him. Levi was approaching him fast, and Eren flinched when Levi stopped right in front of him.

“Eat this.” Levi said, and shoved a piece of bread into his face. “You can’t go the rest of the day without eating.”

“T-Thank you, sir,” Eren said, accepting the bread and biting into it immediately. “You’re kind.”

Levi looked taken aback for a moment by Eren’s statement, but recovered quickly. “Don’t eat and talk at the same time, it’s revolting. Now go.”

“Yesh, shir,” Eren said with his mouth full of food, and had only a second to catch Levi’s face of disgust before he bolted for his next class.

“You said no to the teacher,” Levi said to himself, “But will you say yes to who you like?”

* * *

“Here are the top three scorers for the test you took last week,” Levi announced to the class. “Mikasa Ackerman, 89%.”

The class clapped and cheered while Mikasa went forward to receive her test. Levi nodded to her and waited for her to return to her seat before continuing.

“Annie Leonhardt, 85%.” Levi said, and the class clapped again.

“And third, Eren Jaeger.” Silence fell around the class as Eren stood up from his chair. “81%. Congratulations to you three.”

Clapping started slower for Eren as his classmates recovered from the shock. On his way back, Armin congratulated and high-fived him, and Eren slid back into his chair with a smug grin as Jean stared at him open-mouthed.

“You little cheat,” Jean hissed, “You stole the answers from somewhere, didn’t you?”

“ _You’re_ the little cheat, you little cheat,” Eren whispered back angrily, “Just wait till class ends, I’m—”

“Jaeger,” he heard, and cursed under his breath.

“Yes, sir?” Eren said, squirming in his seat as Levi’s grey eyes trained on him.

“Stay behind in class today. I need to have a talk with you.”

Eren deflated as he heard those words. He’d worked hard for his French for the sole purpose of having Levi be proud of him, but there he was, his chances of ever getting close to the professor disappearing into thin, thin, thin air.

“Yes, sir.” Eren said, resigned. He turned to give Jean a glare before focusing on the lesson in front of him.

“Damn you, Kirstein.”

* * *

"Come to the front, Jaeger.” Levi said when they were alone, turning off his laptop and adjusting his glasses.

Eren shuffled to the front with his bag slung over one shoulder, not daring to look up as he neared the desk.

“Look at me, Jaeger.” Levi said, and Eren lifted his head slightly so that he could look down at Levi. “You did well. Congratulations.”

Eren’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open.

“Shut your mouth if nothing’s coming in or out if it, Jaeger. You look like an idiot.” Levi scolded, and Eren’s mouth snapped shut.

“Yes, sir. It’s just that—”

“You don’t have to see me anymore after this, right?” Levi said, “You’re pretty stable in French now.”

Eren blinked twice, not understanding, and Levi sighed.

“During breaks, you don’t have to consult me anymore. You’re good enough. Good work.” Levi nodded curtly, folding his laptop and sliding it into his bag. “You may leave now.”

“But I want to—” Eren started, then stopped abruptly as he realised what he was going to say. He balled his fist by the side of his body and thought that if he was ever going to make a move, this was the time. “I want to—see you, sir.”

Levi paused in his actions and turned to face Eren again. “What did you say?”

“I said, I want to see you, sir.” Eren said, swallowing. “As a—As a friend is fine, I don’t mind. Even better, in fact, do you like bowling, sir? We could go—”

“Eren Jaeger,” Levi raised his hand to stop Eren’s ramble, “Are you asking me out?”

“Y-Yes,” Eren stuttered. “I like you, sir.”

Levi seemed to consider this before he zipped up his laptop bag and swung it under his arm so that it was between his arm and the side of his body.

“I’m twice your age.” Levi said. “And this school doesn’t permit relations between students and teachers.”

“No one would have to know,” Eren said, his mind and heart working twice as hard as he tried to get the professor to agree with him. “And your age doesn’t matter to me, sir. You—I like you, sir.”

“You already said that,” Levi sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Go home, Jaeger. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As Levi walked down the hallway, he heard Eren shout.

“Sir, you didn’t say no!” Eren shouted, running to catch up with Levi. “You didn’t—You didn’t say no, sir.”

“That’s because it’s like the poem, Jaeger.” Levi said. “Il dit oui à ce qu’il aime.”

Levi smirked when he saw Eren’s eyes widen.

“See you tomorrow, Jaeger.”

* * *

Eren sips his now cold coffee, thinking back on how he and Levi had lasted two years; three months after he’d graduated, they fell out and broke up. He sighs and downs the rest of the coffee, drying his mouth and feeling the bitterness fill him to his toes.

The bells on the café’s door rings again, only this time he doesn’t bother to look. Instead, he’s met with another sound – dress shoes clinking away on the wooden flooring. He looks up and comes face-to-face with an older-than-he-remembers Professor Levi, and one who isn’t holding a cup of coffee anymore, at that.

“Eren,” Levi says, his hands in his pockets and his eyes on Eren’s. “Go for a walk with me.”

Eren can’t speak, but he nods and shoots up from his seat, following behind as Levi leads them out of the café. He looks at Levi’s back and wonders if he’s been getting enough to eat, looks at Levi’s coat and wonders if he’s cold. He wonders if Levi would ever give him another chance, if they could start afresh again, and he hopes hard for it.

“What is this?” Eren asks after ten minutes of walking together, and Levi stops to turn to him.

“A walk. A catch-up. It’s been years, Eren.” Levi says. “You asked me out the first time, and now it’s my turn to return the favour.”

“What’s the occasion, professor?” Eren asks.

“I’m not your professor anymore,” Levi replies, moving closer to Eren.

“Levi,” Eren says, tries the name on his lips, and remembers missing saying that name the first year after they’d split. “What’s the occasion?”

 “ _Le cancre_ ,” Levi says, and kisses Eren lightly on the lips. “Figure it out.”

 Levi turns to walk forward again, leaving Eren lightly touching his lips, trying to assess what had just happened. He smiles to himself and picks up the pace, walking beside Levi and taking his hand in his.

“My face of happiness,” Eren says to Levi, holding onto his hand tightly. Levi squeezes back, looking at the scenery around them as Eren looks at Levi.

“Can only be found when I’m with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> based off of Namae no Nai Uta (Nameless Song) & the poem Le Cancre by Jacques Prevert! i hope you enjoyed this (: find this on tumblr here: http://tinybitterasian.tumblr.com/post/108150154085/eren-levi-le-visage-du-bonheur


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